Smoked Turkey Recipe – This simple, yet scrumptious smoked turkey brings the juiciest and most flavorful turkey to your Thanksgiving table.
Smoked turkey makes for one of my favorite turkey recipes. Ever. Seriously.
Bart has been smoking chicken and turkey for a while now and let me just tell you – it is about as simple as you can get. There is no brining, basting, or babysitting this bird. Making it the most fuss-free turkey recipe I think we’ve ever made. And you know, when it comes to the holidays or special occasions, fuss-free is what I’m dreaming about.
I call that a definite win!
If you don’t have a smoker, don’t worry, there’s a way you can make this on your grill too!
Perfectly cooked, juicy, with that oh so delicious smoky flavor, this turkey is definitely one that my family loves.
How to Make Smoked Turkey
To smoke your turkey, you’ll begin with a fully thawed turkey that weighs between 10 and 12 pounds. As your smoker is preheating, go ahead and brush your turkey with the olive oil and rub with salt and pepper, if you are using the pepper.
Then you’ll place the turkey onto smoker, breast side up. Smoke until the thickest part of the breast meat reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This usually takes around 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Once the turkey reaches 165 degrees, remove it from your smoker and place onto a platter, tent with foil, and allow the smoked turkey to stand for 10 to 15 minutes to rest. Then slice, serve and enjoy!
More on How to Smoke a Turkey
We like to use the lump charcoal briquettes with our Big Green Egg smoker as they seem to have a more consistent burn than when we’ve used wood. However, if you do use wood, I would recommend hickory.
You’ll want to make sure that you periodically check your charcoal or wood, if using, to replenish it as needed.
Bart uses his Big Green Egg so often for smoking, that we invested in the BBQ Guru Cyber Q a while back to help keep tabs and manage the temperature of the smoker. (Christmas wish list alert!) If you have an avid smoker on your Christmas list, I can’t recommend it enough!
Here’s Bart’s Smoked Turkey recipe. Give it a try. You may just decide it is one of your favorite methods for cooking a turkey, too.
Smoked Turkey Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (10-12 pound) turkey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, optional
Instructions
- Thaw turkey according to the directions that accompany it. Preheat smoker to 275º F.
- Brush the turkey with olive oil and rub with salt and pepper.
- Place turkey onto smoker, breast up, and smoke until the thickest part of the breast meat reaches 165º F, around 2 1/2 - 3 hours.
- Remove turkey from smoker and place onto a platter, tent with foil, and allow to stand for 10-15 minutes to rest. Slice and serve.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
For more information on how to prepare your turkey on the smoker, you may want to check out this recipe for how to smoke a whole chicken. It also includes information on how to use your grill as a smoker.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2013.
Looks nice although mildly USELESS if you aint got a smoker.
Ed,
Below the recipe, is a link that provides directions on how to use your grill as a smoker.
I love simple recipes Robyn! Thank you for the great idea!
Your really rude, if you feel the recipe isn’t for you ignore it and not give nasy feedback
You certainly know how to make a turkey look good Robyn! I’d love to try smoked turkey some day. Let me know if there are leftovers. 🙂